Blasting cap package



March 13, 1945; M.TH 2,371,271

BLASTING CAP PACKAGE Filed April 16, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1

FIG. 2

FIG.4

4 5 o o o o o 0 0,0 0 o o o o o F|G.5 o o o o o o o o 0 00000000000 0 o o o o o O 0 000000 0 Q Q 000000 0 b ,o 00 0 0 0 o o o 0 0 o INVENTOR. JOHNBSMITH BY%@4:7Z(

ATTORNEY March 13, 1945.

J. B. SMITH BLASTING CAP PACKAGE Filed April 16, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6

FIG. 7

III/I -INVENTOR. JOHN B. smmq ATTORNEY. Y I

Patented Mar. 13, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- 2,371,271 BLASTING car racxacn' John a. Smith, Wood River min, llladkon County, 111., assignor to Western Cartridge Company, East Alton, 111., acorporation ofDel aware Application April 16, 1941, Serial No. sssgss ing explosive, and the open end is adapted to receive' and be crimped about safety fuse. After ignition of the open end of the safety fuse, flame is transmitted along its length and finally impinges upon the initiating charge within the detonator. The resulting explosion of the initiating charge causes the detonation of the base charge, and this in turn causes the desired explosion of the blasting charge.

It has heretofore been customary to provide fuse detonators packed for transportation and use in the field in covered sheet-metal containers, in which it has been necessary to place the caps in vertical position with the open ends up,

in order to prevent as much as possible the d'anger of having loose particles of explosive escape from within the caps. This type of package has been disadvantageous in a number of respects,

in failing to provide the desired highv degree of safety. Serious accidents, often fatal,

are reported almost every year in the use of blasting caps, packed in the above-described con- 4 ventional manner, in which the probable cause has been traced to the falling of incandescent particles or hot ashes, as from a burning cigarette, into the unprotected open end of a blasting cap. In such a case, the explosion of a single cap would set off the other caps in the same container, and thus be capable of causing the ex- I plosion of other detonators or explosives stored in the immediate-@vicinity. =z A further possibility for accidental explosions existed with the prior type conventional container because of the fact that loose particles of the sensitive initiating explosive, such as mercury fulminate, lead azide, or diazodinitrophenol, could collect in the container and be subject to blows or friction from the blasting caps, particularly when the con tainer had become partly emptied.

blasting cap package free from the disadvantages of prior art packages.

It is another object of this invention to provide a blasting cap package in which the blasting caps are protected from accidental explosion due to sparks or incandescent particles.

It is a further object of this invention to provide improved blasting cap packages in which provision is made for the removal 02 any loose particles of explosives from contact blasting caps.

Other objects will appear from the following detailed description. y

In the drawings forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of an assembled package forming a preferred embodiment of invention; Figure 2 is a bottom view of the same;

Figure 3 is a top view of the base liner therein;

with the Figure 4 is a perspective view of the side wall 7 liners; x

Figure 5 is a top view of an alternative form of liner therefor; I r V Figure 6 isa top view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1, with the cover removed;

Figure l is a vertical section of the same;

I Figure 8 is a perspective view of another form of packag embodying this invention; I

Figure 9 is a similar view of a further embodiment;

Figure 10 is a top view of still another ment, with the cover removed; Figure 11 is a similar view of a bottom liner which may be utilized in the package of Fig- I 12-42 of Figure 11.

It is an object of this invention'to provide a ure 10;

And Figure 12 is a vertical section along line The foregoing objects may be accomplished in accordance with this invention, generally stated, by the provision of a blasting cap package in which the blasting caps are so arranged that the open mouths of the caps are not exposed on removal of the container cover, and furthermore, the blasting caps are so spaced from the bottom and'side'walls of the container as to provide regions in which any loose explosive material may collect, out of contact with the caps.

In the embodiment shown in Figure l, the container I consists of a box formed of thin sheet metal, each side wall being provided with two or more vertical indentations 2. These indentations 2 are continued in the container bottom, as

shown in Figure 2. A liner of paper or other the container liner may consistof a single sheet t of resilient material, provided with perforations I. the, sheet being adapted to be folded into a one-piece box-shaped liner, snugly fitting within the container I by engaging the indentations 2.

With the liner in position, the package is completed by filling the same with blasting caps 8. These are preferably packed continuously, parallel to the container bottom, in successive layers, for example, in layers of 10 caps each. It may at times be convenient to assemble the caps within the liner and then insert the assembly in the container. The package is completed, ready for transportation and use in the field, upon attachment of the closely-fitting cover 9. Preferably, the blastin caps are packed with their mouths all facing the same side of the container, which may be suitably marked externally so that during transportation, the containers may be packed on their sides with the cap openings up.

The blasting cap package in accordance with this invention provides increased safety in use, since the open ends of the blasting caps are maintained unexposed while the caps are in the container. Accordingly, falling sparks or heated particles have no opportunity, as in the prior conventional packages, of dropping within a cap and setting on" the initiating charge. Provision is likewise made in the present detonator'package for the harmless segregation of any loose particles of sensitive explosive which may accidentally become dislodged from the intended position and drop out of any of the blasting caps. Space for receiving such particles is provided between the liner and the container sides and bottom because of the presence of the indentations 2, The slits or other suitable perforations which are provided in the liner are of smaller width than the blasting caps and are so arranged that loose particles may readily fall into the free space between the confound in the free space between the liner and the container walls and bottom, out of any contact with the detonator tubes.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 8, suitable spacing'of the liner 5 from the container side walls and bottom is secured by providing the latter with staggered rows of indentations 2, which may have any suitable outline, such as the rectangular form shown, and the indented portion of which may consist of plane or curved surfaces as desired.

In the form illustrated in Figure 9, the indentations 2 are formed at an anglezto the edges of the box, and accomplish the desired purpose of spacing the liner from the container walls and of permitting the segregation of any loose material within the space so provided. An alternative mode of packing the blasting cap is also indicated, the caps being placed parallel to the containerbottom and at the same time parallel to the longer side of the container. In this type of arrange- In a further embodiment of a blasting cap package in accordance with this invention, illustrated in Figure 10, use may be made of a planesurfaced box in combination with a liner which is so constructed that the desired free space for retaining any loose powder is available at the side walls and bottom of the container. For example, the liner 5 may be corrugated, the width between successive corrugations being smaller than the width of a blasting cap. In such case, the bottom liner may desirably consist of a corrugated sheet in which the corrugations are at right angles to the caps (parallel to the longest direction of the box for the mode of packing illustrated), and which is provided with staggered rows of perforations, as shown in Figures 11 and 12.

Furthermore, when the container sidewalls are plane and corrugated side-Wall liners are used in combination therewith as shown in Figure 10, a desirable alternative may consist in providing a container bottom which is indented, for example as illustrated in Figure 2, in combination with a 'by ignitable fuse trains.

bottom fiat-sheet; liner, such as is shown in Figure 3.

Accordingly, this invention. accomplishes its primary object, the provision of improved blasting cap packages, highly convenient to handle and providing increased safety during transportation and use. The desirable increase in safety is principally effected through the provision of a package in which the open ends of the blastin caps are maintained unexposed and which provides for the segregation of any loose powder out of contact with the caps.

It is to be understood that the principles of this invention may be utilized to advantage in the packaging of explosion initiators in general which are open at one end and are adapted to be set off For example, booster caps for explosive shells may advantageously be packed in accordance with this invention. Such types of explosion initiators are therefore incontainer having rectangular side walls and a tor used herein. It is therefore to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments described, but that the use of such modifications andcombinations of features as do not depart from the spirit of this invention are, although not specifically discussed herein, contemplated by and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having now described the invention, what is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A safety detonator package, comprising a base, a.liner defining a storage.space therein, unsealed detonators assembled in the said storage space in lateral contact in a plurality of layers substantially parallel to the said base,-means proconnecting the said storage and free spaces,

ment, it maybe desirable to provide a spacer i0,

separating the two groups of detonators and facing the mouth end of both groups, so that the initiating charges of the caps are away from the container walls. Spacer I ll may suitably consist of a resilient sheet, containing slits or perforations of smaller width than the detonators, which permit any loose powder to with the blasting caps.

drop out of contact I lateral contact in a'plurality of layers snbstantially parallel to thesaid base, whereby to segreate all loose explosive out of contact with the salddetonators.

8. A safety detonator: package, comprising a container having rectaiizularside walls and a' base, unsealed detonators assembled therein in lateral contact in a plurality of layers substansage means through said liner means whereby to segregate all loose explosive in the spaee between the liner means and the side walls of the containe'r out of contact with the said detonators.

\ JOHN B. SMITH. 

